FFwD: Short Ribs~

26022011

One of the first things I learned to cook successfully as a young bride was short ribs. In the mid 70’s they were cheaper than cheap…but then in the mid 70’s a lot of things were cheaper than…let’s not go there. That’s a whole “nuther” post! Short ribs have a wonderful flavor and truly benefit from long, slow braising.

Now, I want to confess straight up, I went just a bit astray from the recipe in a couple of places… I dusted my short ribs with flour before searing them…I didn’t use port…but pretty much beyond that, we were running about the same. I used a Cabernet for my red wine…I didn’t want to use Chianti, which was the red wine I had open at the moment. Yes…wine actually gets to serve more than one recipe here! LOL! I seared my ribs on all sides in a 5 qt. cast iron casserole, then added the chopped veggies and a bit more oil (I’m using rice bran oil and I love it! I just wish someone local carried it!) and stirred things around a bit before adding the cooking liquids. I have my own beef stock canned, so I used that and the wine to season the pot. And waited 3 incredibly long hours (you’ll understand when you start smelling it). I did need to add a little water part way through, because I didn’t use the foil seal. I used a 5 qt. cast iron dutch oven for a third of the recipe. You’ll want something a bit larger…7 1/2 qt. or bigger, for a full recipe.

Tasting Notes~
This dish pretty much cried out for mashed potatoes…couldn’t help myself! The carrots cooked up perfectly in the dutch oven with the ribs. I started the potatoes about 20 minutes before the ribs were due out of the oven, and we were right on target. This is one of those melt-in-your-mouth dishes. Deeply soul-satisfying, home-cooked, comfort food at it’s best. There wasn’t anything but a bit of gravy left of this dinner. Note to self…watch for short rib sales! It was so worth the wait!

I remember the first time we approached the Rendezvous Inn… Kim was preparing short ribs… I knew that was what I wanted for dinner! Oh my heavens! The aroma that wafted out into their garden! I still haven’t had his short ribs. They sell out quickly every time he makes them. This dish reminds me of that.

Essentially…absolutely a keeper…whether the recipe is followed precisely or not.